INCREASES IN FY2012 STATE FUNDING FOR DAYTON AREA ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

In stunning contrast to the national trend of states decreasing funding for arts and culture, the Ohio Governor and General Assembly increased appropriations to support the state’s cultural organizations for 2012/2013 by 30.5%. 

Advocacy efforts undertaken by the Ohio Citizens for the Arts (OCA), and supported by Culture Works and a number of other Dayton area citizens and organizations, resulted in a FY2012/2013 budget of $17,211,408 for the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), with nearly 82% of this funding being awarded to artists and arts organizations.  This was a particular noteworthy achievement given that legislative appropriations nationally to state arts agencies decreased an average of 5.8% for FY2012, with 42 states either decreasing or keeping funding flat.  

The outlook for Ohio’s arts budget did not always look so rosy.  Governor John Kasich’s proposed cutting the Ohio Arts Councils’ budget by 19.5% when the state budget was introduced March 15, 2011.  The OAC testified before the subcommittee on Higher Education on March 31, and the budget bill then advanced to the full house for consideration, where it passed on May 5 with an additional $3 million provided for the arts. The Ohio Citizens for the Arts, OCA legislative counsel Bill Blair, and arts advocates from around the state worked tirelessly to insure that the increased budget was sustained as the bill moved to the senate.  On July 1, the Governor signed off on the Ohio House and Senate’s budget recommendation for increased funding.

“This increased funding would not have happened without statewide advocacy efforts, in which the Dayton region played a key role,” says Martine Meredith Collier, president & CEO of Culture Works. “The number of citizens from Dayton who attended Arts Day in Columbus on May 11 was impressive, and the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with our elected officials about the importance of the cultural sector to Ohio tourism, economic development, and education was critical to this successful effort.”

According to Jeffrey A. Rich, Chair of the Ohio Arts Council, “We have all been part of a well executed and strategic advocacy effort.  Everyone played their part and worked as a team. Everyone spoke with a united voice about the artistic excellence, the cultural vibrancy, and the great economic impact of the arts to Ohio and its citizens. Thank you.”

Collier suggests that citizens in the Dayton region write or call elected officials to thank them for their support.  “We need to let the Governor, and our local state representatives and senators know how much their support for arts and culture is appreciated.”  Click here to be redirected to the resource page with link where you can find information on how to get in touch with your elected officials.

Over 25 Dayton arts organizations received funding from the Ohio Arts Council for FY2012. Grant amounts for FY2012 in many cases exceeded grant amounts for FY2011 as a result of increased appropriations for the Ohio Arts Council.